''A Capitol Death'' is a historical novel by British writer

Lindsey Davis Lindsey Davis (born 1949) is an English historical novelist, best known as the author of the Falco series of historical crime stories set in ancient Rome and its empire. She is a recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger award. Life and career ...

, the seventh in her

Flavia Albia Lindsey Davis (born 1949) is an English historical novelist, best known as the author of the Falco series of historical crime stories set in ancient Rome and its empire. She is a recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger award. Life and career ...

series. It was published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton on 4 April 2019 () . The cover of the UK hardback 1st edition shows a sea shell, likely to be the dye-producing

bolinus brandaris ''Bolinus brandaris'' (originally called ''Murex brandaris'' by Linnaeus and also Haustellum brandaris), and commonly known as the purple dye murex or the spiny dye-murex, is a species of medium-sized predatory sea snail, an edible marine gastrop ...

, on a purple, perhaps bloodstained, background. The tale is set in November AD 89 on the Capitoline Hill, and includes a death by falling from the Tarpeian Rock, a stinking family of shell-fish boilers who produce the imperial purple dye, the preparations for

Domitian Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flav ...

's double triumph, family relationships, and

augury Augury is the practice from ancient Roman religion of interpreting omens from the observed behavior of birds. When the individual, known as the augur, interpreted these signs, it is referred to as "taking the auspices". "Auspices" (Latin ''ausp ...

, while Flavia and her husband are setting up their new household. In an interview with her editor Oliver Johnson, Davis discussed her successful plan to base a series of books on the

seven hills of Rome The seven hills of Rome ( la, Septem colles/montes Romae, it, Sette colli di Roma ) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city. Hills The seven hills are: * Aventine Hill (Latin: ''Collis Aventi ...

, starting with the Aventine Hill and reaching the Capitoline Hill with this latest book.

References

Novels set in ancient Rome British historical novels Flavia Albia novels 2019 British novels 21st-century British novels Hodder & Stoughton books Novels set in the 1st century St. Martin's Press books {{2010s-crime-novel-stub